


Maybe I'll Burn A Little Brighter Tonight

by xhangemhighx



Series: Miss Missing You [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drabble, Established Relationship, Gen, Hugs, Lu Ten (Avatar) Lives, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Wordcount: 100-1.000, zukka - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:02:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25498792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xhangemhighx/pseuds/xhangemhighx
Summary: Zuko joins the gaang much earlier after discovering that he's Sokka soulmate. He gets separated from them after Azula's attack on the Western Air Temple. When he meets them, a familiar face is there to greet him.
Relationships: Iroh & Lu Ten, Lu Ten & Zuko, Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Miss Missing You [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1850464
Comments: 14
Kudos: 429





	Maybe I'll Burn A Little Brighter Tonight

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Miss Missing You by Fall Out Boy.
> 
> Enjoy!

The wind blew through the sails of the Water Tribe ship as they headed west to the rendezvous point. Zuko sat in a small room below deck, looking out the window at the churning sea. The tea in his cup sloshed around, nearly spilling over the sides. Zuko took a few sips so it wouldn't pour out on him. Uncle sat next to him, holding an old teapot he'd found at a market a few days earlier.

About a month ago, Zuko had left on his own, to find his uncle, while Aang and the others traveled through the Fire Nation. Aang was fairly good at firebending by now and Zuko knew he'd be powerful enough to take on his father. At last, all that stood between Zuko and his friends was the stormy sea. He'd met up with a couple members of the Souther Water Tribe a week earlier, as directed one of Sokka's many letters sent by messenger hawk. Now Zuko, Iroh, Hakoda, and several other watertribesmen were on their way to meet up with the Gaang before the comet.

A few hours passed and the storm ceased. Zuko no longer felt the need to be seasick over the side of the boat. He thought he'd gotten over that feeling after spending three years at sea, but it turns out that it had never left.

Zuko watched as the island in the distance got closer. He walked up to the deck, still slippery from the storm. He could make out figures on the horizon, standing on the beach waiting for them. Six figures. Someone stood beside Sokka in Fire Nation red, but Zuko couldn't tell who.

When Zuko saw the man's face, he let out a choking noise. Were his eyes lying to him? He hadn't seen that face in years, but he'd always remember it. His older cousin, son of Iroh, nephew of Ozai and Ursa. He'd been killed in the Siege of Ba Sing Se all those years ago.

Zuko grabbed at his uncle's arm. "Uncle."

"What is it, nephew?" Iroh questioned. "My eyes are getting quite old."

Zuko couldn't say it out loud. Maybe he was seeing things. Zuko stood frozen on the deck as the Water Tribe crew prepared to dock the boat. As soon as they reached the island, Zuko leapt from the boat. The warm sand slipped under his feet and Zuko fell into it face first. A loud laugh erupted from far away, coming closer as Zuko struggled to spit out the sand.

A hand was offered to him and Zuko took it, smiling at the pair of dao swords with a wolf tattooed on the wrist, identical to his. He pulled Sokka into a hug, his face pressing into his soulmate's neck. He pressed a kiss to Sokka's forehead.

"Missed you."

Sokka smiled. "I missed you too. There's someone else here who missed you about as much as me. Go talk to him."

Zuko broke away from Sokka and looked over his shoulder to see the people farther down on the beach. Sure enough, Lu Ten stood in Fire Nation red, looking just as regal and princely as he'd been years before. 

Zuko speed walked towards him, stopping a few inches in front of his cousin. He stared at Lu Ten, aware that it was getting awkward, but he didn't know what to do. He opted for a hug. Tears spilled down his right cheek, mirroring those that had done the same when he discovered Lu Ten was dead. This time, the tears weren't because he was sad.

Zuko felt another presence beside him, who eagerly squished both of them into a hug, crying even more than Zuko. Zuko, Iroh, and Lu Ten held each other, all sobbing and wearing identical smiles. The Firelord could never break up the family.

**Author's Note:**

> Prequel is posted! Called Let The Fire Breath Me Back To Life.


End file.
